A skull made of Plexiglas based on a 3D scan…science fiction? Not for the surgeons of the University Medical Centre Hospital in Utrecht, who are using Plexiglas to replace the skull of a woman in desperate need.

The rapid development of 3D-scans and printing is not only opening doors for the manufacturing industry but also are causing a real revolution in the medical world.

The extremely detailed images provided by the 3D scanners lend themselves to a wide range of applications, from plastic surgery to the development of tailor-made prostheses and support for medical research.

The University François Rabelais of Tours is working on the virtual dissection of human brain fibres in the context of a multidisciplinary research project.

“The precision and speed of measurement of the FaroArm Fusion were decisive in terms of the selection of the portable CMM for the scientific team, as the digital sensor is capable of scanning more than 19,000 points per second,” noted Mr Serres, doctoral researcher at the University of Tours.